Boston University Pardee School dean Dr. Scott Taylor leads an examination of the evolution of U.S. engagement with Africa by critically comparing the decades of aid-led diplomacy to an emerging emphasis on trade, investment, and commercial partnership.

Framed around the question of what actually drives sustainable growth, the discussion will assess the historical outcomes of aid-first strategies and the viability or limits of increased U.S. private-sector investment. Amb. Stephanie Sullivan, a U.S. diplomat that has served across the continent of Africa, and Kennedy Ukelegharanya, a business attorney at a major multinational law firm, join Taylor to discuss the role of technology adoption in closing development and financing gaps, identify the foundational conditions required for scalable investment, and debate where U.S. public and private actors can be most effective.